Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday accused the BJP and the Centre of delaying his and Rahul Gandhi’s helicopters during the election campaign in Jharkhand.

Addressing an election rally in Jamtara for party candidate and sitting MLA Irfan Ansari, Kharge said: “Yesterday our leader Rahul Gandhi’s helicopter was deliberately delayed for hours because the Prime Minister was sitting in his plane. Today my helicopter was delayed for 20 minutes because Union home minister Amit Shah was landing. His route was different and my route was different.”

After addressing an election rally at Jamtara in Santhal Pargana, Kharge addressed a rally at Khijri in Ranchi district for party candidates.

Shah addressed rallies in Dumka, Madhupur and Dhanwar on Saturday.

Jamtara is 45km from Madhupur and 75km from Dumka.

On Friday, Rahul’s helicopter was delayed for about two hours in the absence of permission by the Air Traffic Control (ATC). The Congress alleged that the delay was politically motivated and claimed that the helicopter was to take him to Bermo in Jharkhand from Mahagama in Godda district.

Modi was stranded at Deoghar airport for nearly two hours on Friday and a “no-fly zone” was declared in the region’s airspace as he waited for the issue to be resolved, officials said.

Later in the evening, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh submitted a memorandum to the Election Commission seeking a level playing field and alleged that the delay had disturbed Rahul’s campaign schedule.

Kharge further claimed that he and Rahul, both cabinet ministers, were not allowed to use the reserved airport lounge “as it was reserved for the Prime Minister”.

“Rahul Gandhi is the leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. He has the status of a cabinet minister. I also have the status of a cabinet minister, but in the reserved lounge of the airport, the officials said that it was reserved for the Prime Minister. I want to ask whether a toilet can also be reserved for the Prime Minister?” Kharge said without naming the airport.

Kharge alleged that Modi and Shah were spooking people on the Bangladeshi infiltration issue.

“They are in power at the Centre and have the power to stop it. Are Prime Minister Modi and Amit Shah sleeping? Why can’t they stop infiltration despite being in power? When they can stop the helicopter, why can’t they stop the intruders?” Kharge said.

The BJP has been accusing the JMM-led coalition government in Jharkhand of encouraging Bangladeshi infiltrators for electoral gains.

Kharge also accused the BJP of using federal agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate, the CBI and the income tax department against Opposition leaders.